Jay Steensma (1941-1995)

Jay Steensma was born in Moscow Idaho in 1941. Jay moved to Seattle in 1959 and attended the University of Washington School of Art. While there, he won a prize in the Northwest Printmakers Annual at the Henry Art Gallery. He received his degree in 1962. Steensma studied with Morris Graves and befriended a number of notable artists of the Northwest including Mark Tobey and Guy Anderson. He spent some time in New York City working at the Museum of Modern Art, but returned to Seattle in 1965. Steensma had some initial successes in the following decade, but suffered from manic depression, which deeply impacted his work and alienated him from the art community. He was institutionalized several times during this period and did not hold another significant exhibition until showing at the Jackson Street Gallery in 1985. Jay Steensma is often considered to be the last of the Northwest Masters. The tones and colors of his works, along with the imagery build directly upon predecessors like Graves, but Steensma manages to find his own distinct voice. Jay Steensma passed away in 1994 at the age of 52. His work can be found in the following collections.

Jundt Art Museum, Spokane, WA

Museum of Northwest Arts and Culture, Spokane, WA

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA

Portland Art Museum, Portland OR

Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, WA

Museum of Northwest Art, LaConner, WA

The Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA

Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA

Boise Art Museum, Boise, ID

Washington State History Museum, Tacoma, WA

Whatcom Museum of History and Art,
The works below are part of a large portfolio of Jay Steensma's prints from the late 1970's and early 1980's. Around this time, Steensma made limited edition Xerox copies of his drawings for show or sale. The sizes range from approximately 8 1/2" x 11" to larger 14" x 18". Where noted, the prints are hand signed and numbered by Steensma. In some cases, the works are signed "P.J." I've read this is a reference to Pope John "Paul" The condition of the prints and the quality of the paper vary. Most are in relatively good condition and appear to be on standard copy paper. Where there are notable condition problems or the use of alternate papers or materials, I've noted it in the work description.